To The Pool
by SisiDraig - 2
Summary: Sequel to When two people cuddle! The family go to the pool! D/C: Only Vinward is mine but if i could have any of them i'd take baby Jones! lol xx


It had been Howard's idea. Well, it certainly hadn't been Vince's. In fact, Vince had been completely against it and the only reason they were here was because Richmond had overheard Howard mention it and none of the boys had let up until they were sat in the car on their way.

Vince held Richmond and Vinward's hands and they dashed through the car park as the rain hammered down around them. Howard stood next to the car, muttering under his breath,

"Come on Jonesy." he cried, as the rain dripped from his hair and down his face.

"No get wet!" Jones gurgled determinedly.

"I'm not waiting here all day." growled Howard, leaning into the car and pulling his squealing, squirming son from the baby seat.

"Noooooooooooo!" Jones screamed as the rain water splashed all over his clothes and hair. "Run Daddy. Run. I no wanna get wet!"

Howard did run; not because his son had told him too but because he was already soaked enough without making it worse. Once they were inside the leisure centre, he put Jones on the floor and took his hand as he waited for Vince to pay. He watched his son struggling to stay vertical, Jones was taking ages about learning to walk. Richmond had been walking for months and even Vinward was able to toddle about unaided but Jones flopped to the floor every time he tried to wobble more than a step. Jones was struggling to escape Howard's clutch and crawl to the nearest colourful, brightly lit vending machine. Howard looked down as he felt his son's fingers wiggling free and spotted a tiny blob of black at the end of each finger. He frowned and bent down to get a better look.

"Vince." he accused, when the younger man was near, "Have you painted Jones' nails?"

"Yeah. He looks like a genius, doesn't he?"

"He looks awful." Howard said, which provoked a cruel bout of laughter from Vinward, and Jones sniffed a little.

"Oi." Vince said, slapping Howard on the shoulder and leaning down to pick Jones up, "Don't you listen to him, Jonesy. I think you look lovely." And with that, Vince was carrying Jones to the changing rooms.

Howard muttered something under his breath, picked up his other two sons and chased after them. They pushed their way into a large family changing room. The boys were in their trunks in seconds, whereas Howard and Vince took a lot longer to deem themselves ready. Vince had read the last rights to his hair, for fear that the chlorine would kill it all and Howard was still wrapped up in his towel, refusing to drop it from his shoulders.

"Come on Howard." Vince said, giving the brown material a bit of a tug. "No one's gonna care if you've got a bit of tub around you're waist. I don't care."

"It's embarrassing." Howard blushed, "Especially with you next to me looking like a flaming anorexic stick insect."

"I'm gonna take that as a compliment." Vince frowned, reaching up and slipping his arms around Howard's neck. "You were the one who wanted to bring the boys swimming. I can't believe you're backing out. I haven't even had the chance to see you all wet and shiny yet." he pouted, fluttering long eye-lashes up at his partner.

"Why we not swim yet?" Vinward asked, jumping up and down in the baby pen.

"I think daddy Howard is worried about his big fat belly." Richmond answered, chuckling a little. He had incredible deception for a small child.

"I like Daddy's belly." Vinward answered, "Like jelly. It's all bouncy."

"Bouncy, bouncy." giggled Jones.

"Ooo such a good time." joined Richmond and Vinward.

"Bouncy Bouncy"

"Ooookay." laughed Vince picking up Richmond and Jones quickly, "You boys aren't helping." he smiled, "Come on. Let's go and get all wet in that lovely water." Although it was said in a tone which suggested there was _nothing _lovely about the water at all.

Howard had of course followed them and was delighted to find that many of the other fathers in the 'Parent and Toddler' session were sporting just as much around the belly as he was. He laughed a little as he watched Vince, carefully avoiding getting his hair wet, whilst also trying to coax Richmond in. The boy was having none of it. He just sat on the blue tiled floor just out of reach of the water.

"It won't hurt you." Vince was promising, splashing a couple of drops over Richmond legs. "See, Richie. It's just a _big_ bath with lots of floats and toys. You don't mind baths, do you?" he asked, as he splashed some more water gently towards him. Slowly, very slowly, Richmond edged closer to the pool until his toes were just dipping into the water.

It was at that moment, Jones, who was sat in a swim seat in the shape of a turtle, filled a little purple bucket with water and threw it over his brother's head. Richmond leapt to his feet and dashed off across the tiles.

"Don't run!" was the ineffectual call from the young lifeguard as Howard swooped in and caught his son one handed.

"Where were you off, eh?" he laughed.

"Away." Richmond answered huffily. "I don't like it here. It's too hot and the water's too big and too cold and everything's too bright."

"Oh, don't be silly." Howard smiled, sitting carefully on the edge of the pool, dangling his feet in the water and putting Richmond on his lap. He tried to explain the benefits of a good swim but Richmond wasn't having any of it.

Over the other side of the pool Vince had placed Vinward in his own swim seat in the shape of an aeroplane and was now swinging Vinward around.

"Brrm" Vinward shouted. "Vrrrrrrroom."

Jones, on the other hand, had used to wall to pull himself along until he was right in front of the lifeguard. He waved a podgy little arm at him.

"Hello!" he was shouting.

"Erm, hi." the lifeguard frowned, eyes flicking to Jones and then to the rest of the pool.

"I'm Jones."

"Hi Jones." he said, running a hand through his spiky dark hair. He clearly didn't feel he had time to talk to a child or maybe it just wasn't cool.

"What you name?"

"Erm, Kieran."

"Key." Jones tried to repeat.

The lifeguard looked at Jones again and smirked a little. "Something like that yeah."

"Look. Look." Jones giggled, spinning himself in a circle and flapping his arms about in a weird dance,

"Wow." The lifeguard replied in a tone that wasn't entirely sarcastic.

"I'm two."

"Hmm. Where's your mummy?"

"I not have mum."

"Oh. Daddy?"

"Umm. There." he said, pointing at Howard who was still trying to coax Richmond into the pool, "and… there." he pointed at Vince, who was still playing with Vinward.

Kieran frowned again as he looked at Vince. He looked he was really concentrating for a second and then,

"Vince Noir." he said out loud.

Vince turned around and looked at the boy and then at his son.

"Damn." he hissed under his breath. "Sorry." he said, pushing his way through the water, dragging Vinward with him. "Has he been bothering you?"

"Er, no, yes. A bit… I don't… are you Vince?"

"Yeah." Vince smiled, he turned to Jones and cooed, "What were doing? Were you talking to this nice lifeguard?"

The lifeguard's face screwed up a little as though he were trying very hard not to cry. "You never called me back." he whispered and Vince looked up in utter confusion.

"What?" he asked, "Sorry. Do I know you?"

"Did I mean nothing?" The lifeguard asked. "You said you were going on holiday. You told me you'd call when you got home. That was nearly four years ago and now you've got kids? What the hell Vince?"

Vince racked his brain. He couldn't for the life of him remember the boy ahead of him. He was younger than Vince was, maybe mid-twenties, he had dark brown eyes and bronze skin. He looked like a clothes model the kind of guy Vince would find in a club everyday of the week… and then he remembered. Just before 'the holiday', the one where he'd become pregnant, he'd met a guy. They'd gone out a few times, they'd slept together but that's all it had been to Vince.

Just then, Howard appeared with Richmond clinging to him for dear life whispering, "Don't put me down. Don't let me go in the water."

"Alright. I won't." Howard promised, "What's going on over here?"

"Erm…" Vince blushed a little.

"This him?" Kieran asked, "This the guy you decided to adopt with."

"They're not adopted!" cried Vince. "They're ours."

"You're a retard. That's not possible. Don't they know yet? Are they thick? Don't they realise two daddies is a bit weird?"

"You weird!" Jones retaliated angrily.

"I hate you!" Kieran spat at Vince. "I waited for you to call. I actually thought you would."

"Vince?" Howard asked uncertainly. "What's going on?"

"You're boyfriend's a slag!" The lifeguard seethed.

"An ex?" Howard asked steadily.

Vince blushed and nodded a little.

"Deal with it now." was all Howard had to say on the matter. He knew there'd been people before him in Vince's life but often, he didn't have to think about it. So, he grabbed his three sons and dragged them to the other side of the pool, trying to juggle keeping Richmond away from his brothers who were doing their best to soak the terrified boy.

"Look." Vince said calmly, "I'm sorry that I hurt your feelings."

"Course you are." he scorned.

"I am." insisted Vince "But," he peered over his shoulder to where Howard was helping Richmond emerge his legs it the water and Vinward and Jones clapped in support. "I'm in love."

"Vince Noir in love. Ha!"

"It's true. I always had been in love with Howard, I just didn't realise it and now I've got a beautiful family." Kieran scowled furiously, his eyebrows almost hiding his eyes. "I'm really sorry."

"Whatever."

"You'll find someone better than me." Vince promised gently.

"Won't be hard."

Vince sighed heavily. "Okay." he said and strode over to his family.

"Everything okay?" Howard asked as he kept an eye on Vinward and Jones who were splashing water at each other. Richmond was sat on the side kicking his feet in the water..

Vince looked at Howard and forced a smile, resting his head on his damp shoulder.

"Yeah." he sighed. "I forget I used to be so… flighty and fickle."

"Used to be?" chuckled Howard.

"Don't say that." Vince choked and it was then that Howard realised Vince was close to tears. "I'm not like that anymore."

"I know," smiled Howard, slipping an arm around Vince's waist, "come on. Don't get upset."

"But I love you and the boys. I don't like remembering how I was before."

"Vince." Howard smiled, kissing Vince gently on the temple. "Don't be ridiculous. It doesn't matter. It's the past."

Vince nodded as Richmond slipped suddenly into the pool. Howard moved in record time and pulled Richmond from the pool. He was blinking and spluttering a little.

"You okay?" Howard asked, drying Richmond's face with his palm.

"I don't wanna be here anymore." Richmond cried, burying his face in Howard's neck.

"No me." Vinward moaned, "My hand funny."

Vince had a look."Ooo. Pruned fingers." he laughed.

It was also that moment Jones spotted a warped reflection of himself in the handle to the pool steps.

"Ahhhhh! Hair!" he screeched.

Vince laughed again. "I think it might be time to leave." he suggested.

"Yeah." agreed Howard.

"The pool was a crap idea Howard. Next time we'll go to the zoo, yeah?"

"Yeah. Zoo-zoo!" cried Jones.

"Maminals." Vinward announced.

"Anything but water." agreed Richmond as he shot the offending pool one last horrified look as they walked to the changing rooms.


End file.
